News releases

OTTAWA – Canada Post issued a new stamp today to mark two important Islamic holidays: Eid al-Fitr and Eid al-Adha. The commemorative stamp features maamoul, Middle Eastern cookies, and a traditional carved wooden mould used to make them.

Melt-in-your-mouth cookies stuffed with a delicious walnut, pistachio or date filling, maamoul are a sweet staple during Eid celebrations. They are traditionally handmade from semolina and flavoured with fragrant rose or orange-blossom water and mahlab – a spice made from ground cherry pits. Before baking, the balls of dough are stuffed with walnut, pistachio or date filling and formed with specially carved wooden moulds.

Early versions of maamoul can be traced back to ancient Egypt and Mesopotamia. Today, family and friends often gather before Eid al-Fitr and Eid al-Adha to bake the cookies together. Served to guests and given as gifts, maamoul are also made across much of the Middle East to celebrate other holidays, such as Easter and Purim.

This year, Eid al-Fitr – the Festival of Breaking the Fast – begins in April, after the end of Ramadan. The stamp was issued today, so that it can be used to send greetings before the festival. Eid al-Adha, or the Festival of Sacrifice, marks the end of the Hajj pilgrimage to Mecca, Saudi Arabia, the holiest Muslim city. In 2024, Eid al-Adha begins in June.

Celebrated by more than one million Muslims in Canada, both events can last several days and include communal prayers and feasts, visits with family, gift-giving and acts of charity.

Celebrating Canada’s culturally diverse population

The 2024 issue is Canada Post’s sixth Eid stamp; the others were issued in 2017, 2020, 2021, 2022 and 2023.

The Eid stamp is one of several stamps Canada Post issues each year to mark annual celebrations important to Canada’s culturally diverse population – others include Diwali, Hanukkah and Christmas.

About the stamp

The stamp was designed by Kristine Do, photographed by Maya Visnyei, with food styling by David Grenier. Printed by Colour Innovations, the issue includes booklets of six Permanent™ domestic rate stamps and an Official First Day Cover cancelled in London, Ontario.

The new stamp and collectibles are available at canadapost.ca and postal outlets across Canada.

For links to images of the stamps and other products, and more resources:

• External folder with high-resolution images
• Read the Canada Post magazine article featuring a maamoul recipe
• Social media platforms – Facebook, Instagram and LinkedIn

                                                             - 30 -

For more information:

Media Relations

613-734-8888

media@canadapost.ca

T^M Trademark of Canada Post Corporation.